and find the aarp medicare supplement plan to go the distance with you. go long. . here we go. top of the hour. i'm brooke baldwin and thank you for being with me on this thursday. a huge day of news, minutes apart. pressing one message. huh president barack obama. secretary of state john kerry reinforcing the message that there is a unified move to get russia to back off from u crape. each spoke in the last hour on the crisis we have been watching. we have thousands of russian troops occupying crimea, the pro russian peninsula in ukraine. today lawmakers there voted to join russia and to put the final call, the final vote on the proposed referendum on people.

we will get to that. the president has a mind to address the referendum and talked about how the u.s. is the first nation to impose sanctions to pressure russia. the u.s. is limiting the travel and seizing assets from ukrainians and russians who have played a part in this current crisis. and the eu, european union is moving according to the president in the same direction, same response hereof sanctions. take a listen. >> i am confident we are moving forward together. united in the tomorrowation to oppose action that violate international law. that includes standing up for the principal of state sovereignty. the proposed referendum would violate the constitution and violate international law. any discussion must include the

legitimate government of ukraine. in 2014, we are well beyond the days when borders can be redrawn over the heads of demonstratic leaders. while we take these steps, i want to be clear there is a way to resolve this prisz that suspects the interests of the russian federation as well as ukrainian people. let the monitors into all of ukraine including cre mea including ethnic russians. >> we believe that russia has the opportunity now with the rest of us, but russia particularly has the opportunity now to make the right choices in order to deescalate. the united states also has choices to make. president obama has been clear that we cannot allow russia or any country to defy

international law with impunity. there is noplace in the community of nations for the kind of aggression and steps that we have seen taken in crimea and ukraine in these last days. today as we announced, wey have taken steps and the state department also has taken steps in response to what occurred. we are putting in place tough visa restrictions on a number of officials and individuals. >> in parts of the world, message, i want to have a big discussion on this. at the white house, jim acosta, host of the situation room with wolf blitzer, standing by in washington. our chief correspondent and our chief political analyst gloria borger. we have been watching every minute of how this is so quickly

developed over the last several days, weeks even. and really addressed the issue of a proposed referendum in ten days. clearly saying it would violate the ukrainian constitution and international law. >> that's right. i think because these developments are so fast moving, the president was almost forced to address that one particular item at the briefing within the last hour. the possibility that crimea could vote to join russia, that was something that this white house had to weigh in on. i can tell you from having conversations from the officials all week, they have been giving the indication and the president basically said so at the podium a few minutes ago, they are not giving up crimea. they will not become part of russia as a result of this crisis. you heard the president say that

would be a violation of international law and a violation of ukraine's constitution. the international community would not stand for it. they asked the same thing. is there any way crimea would be given up as a way out of the crisis. you heard john kerry across the atlantic say the same thing. they had to get it out of the way. the other thing is we sword of went after it on a couple of different occasions and try to figure out what they erupt to. they are saying they haven't identified individuals and targets as of your point. they pulled out the tool kit and that kit is available to start imposing sanctions on individuals and entities. russian and ukrainian involved in destabilizing the situation in crimea and everybody was asking what about putin? is he being name and targeted?

they would not say that, but we understand that's not what they have in store. >> i think this could be the first wave. i want to get to what john kerry said. coming to you in a minute, i was listening to your conversation post obama talk. in the briefing room, specifically with former american diplomat nicholas burns, when it comes to the referendum, the president followed up and said if they violate international law, the response will remain firm. that sounded nebulous to me. >> they are holding back on the specifics and as jim acosta noted, they haven't released names of individual russians who will be targeted and have assets frozen if they have assets in western banks. a lot of russian businesses have

operations in europe and in the united states. they are not naming those. that would be the next step. they a pose sanctions on entities from iran or syria. they name names and name companies and they go after them. they try to make life as difficult as possible. that would be the next step hovering over the russians. having said that, if you do that to the russians, you have to expect putin will retaliate in kind. the whole escalation that is making the germans especially and others very nervous because as you know and all of our viewers know, they get so much energy from russia and the pipe lines that go across ukraine. if that stops, the economic recovery that we have seen could be slowed down dramatically. >> elise on the phone in rome, the first question you asked him

was whether or not under any continue the u.s. would accept this referendum in ten days in crimea. what was his response? >> brooke, you have to make a distinction whether the u.s. would accept a referendum or the referendum as it stands. crimean people would vote on a referendum to join russia. what secretary kerry was saying and the officials have been saying privately, all ukrainians would have to agree. the government would have to be involved in the setting of the referendum. this is the conundrum that the u.s. finds itself in. they want to protect the integrity and sovereignty of ukraine, but they are recognizing that the crimean people have an association with russia. you hear secretary kerry emphasizing the whole time that

crimea is a very special interest for the russians. we want to make sure that the interests are protected and their occurrence are late. i don't think you are going to hear the u.s. say as jim was saying, we are going to give crimea to the russians. any way you slice it, when this is over, each if you go back to the status quo, this is -- it used to be part of russia. it kind of is and has been and will effectively be a de facto russian territory. >> your follow-up when we show the pictures of the russian cowner part from russia, saying basically, do you feel misled by him. i would love for you to give context. secretary kerry's answer was listen, we talked a lot and we are either laughing or

disagreeing. do you think these conversations they have been having, are they effective? >> it's hard to ignore the results. even today, the day when you have this announcement saying the preference is still the diplomatic path. he noted while the president issued this order, it hasn't been acted on yet. the preference remains talks and discussions. you can bring not only the allies on board, but get the russians involved and so on. as of yet, the talks are not working. they are talking about talks. the secretary said he still has not found common ground with the u.s. or with the european allies. secretary kerry has been a priority to get the rugs sitting down with the ukrainians. he with the counterpart has been taking him on the plane from kiev to paris hasn't happened. they are working on the format of what the talks would be. as the talks continue, the facts on the ground as we said a

number of times get further established. this is a pattern and a strategy that russia used before with other territories and countries in the near abroad in georgia. you had the invasion and now two provinces in effect under russian control. they have a province in countries we never talk about on the air that is disputed now. because you have the provinces and the territories disputed, that makes it difficult for the countries to do things like join the eu or nato or etc. as elise referred to, you have the facts on the ground and no matter where we end up, russia exerted getting greater control over the region of crimea that makes it difficult for ukraine to enter into other agreements that many of the people may want to do. exercise the right to do. >> you are sitting there in washington and listening to the conversation. what do you make of all of this? >> i think the administration sort of has a double whammy on

its hands. the allies are not united about the sanctions and you have this proposed referendum in crimea. if it were to take place, it would no doubt say yes, we want to be part of russia. the administration found itself in a position to have to come out and sort of try and put the jeannie back in the bottle and say no, you can't do that. that would be a farce. it would be unconstitutional, etc. i think the administration is in a difficult situation right now. putin sort of sitting there and even if there is an ambiguous result in crimea, it sort of is what it is. what it is is if putin has gotten what he wanted. >> it's a fascinating op ed.

regarding putin, whether or not he is winging it and whether this was a reaction to what happened within ukraine and whether or not this is entirely strategic and the pros and cons of taking it that way. we will have that discussion later. thank you soechlt jim acosta and wolf blitzer and jim and elise. thank you all. other developments in the crisis in ukraine, the scudled warship now blocks ukrainian vessels from leaving a harbor. ukraine's ministry of defense saying now seven of the ship are trapped. as these pro and aspect russian protests continue in ukraine. u.s. warship is steaming towards the black sea as well. this missile destroyer is taking part in already planned naval exercises with romania and bulgaria.

right now you have the house and the senate working on laws to publicly condemn the president's moves on crimea. one bill calling for spelling russia from the g8. we have much more on the crisis there. there is one person who could be key in solving this. why the german chancellor angela merkel has one thing all the other leaders don't. later, if the situation looks familiar. it is. we touched on this a moment ago. what did we learn from the russian invasion of georgia in 2008? is history repeating itself? how can we stop it? we will talk to the man who is is at pentagon in the invasion. stay here. could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.s everybody knows that. well, did you know that when a tree falls in the forest and no one's around, it does make a sound? ohhh...ugh. geico. little help here.

i need>>that's my geico digital insurance id card - gots all my pertinents on it and such. works for me. turn to the camera. >>ah, actually i think my eyes might ha... next! digital insurance id cards. just a tap away on the geico app. she loves a lot of it's what you love about her. but your erectile dysfunction - that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives,

swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. iwe don't back down. we only know one direction: up so we're up early. up late. thinking up game-changing ideas, like this: dozens of tax free zones across new york state. move here. expand here. or start a new business here... and pay no taxes for 10 years. with new jobs, new opportunities and a new tax free plan. there's only one way for your business to go. up. find out if your business can qualify at start-upny.com your education is built to help move your career forward. here's how: we work with leading employers to learn what you need to learn so classes impact your career. while helping ensure credits you've already earned pay off. and we have career planning tools to keep you on track every step of the way.

plus the freshman fifteen, isn't really a thing here. and graduation, it's just the beginning. because we build education around where you want to go. so, you know, you can get the job you want. ready, let's get to work.

. >> we continue coverage of the crisis in ukraine. stop me if it sounds woman. russian troops invade a sovereign nation claiming it's designed to protect the citizens living there. they condemn the occupation. i am talking about georgia in 2008. they remain in control of the two areas of georgia you see in a minute. we will show you the two areas we have. the question now is this. there you have it. will ukraine and specifically this area we keep talking about, crimea would suffer the same fate? joining me now is the vice president of the group and deputy assistant secretary of

defense with european and nato policy during the invation a couple of years ago. welcome. nice to have you on. >> thanks for having me. >> just on the surface, does it lock like so far history is repeating itself? >> absolutely. the same reasons as to why putin decided to do what he did in 2008 in georgia have been repeated in the crimea. >> you pointed out reading comments three goals. one, deter russia from innovating and reassure allies their security is guaranteed and russian gains must be rolled back and that didn't happen in 2008. the question with the current crisis is how do you roll back a man like vladimir putin? >> that is the million dollar

question. roll back was hard. we have not achieved it in georgia. they are annexed under russian control and all done with the guys or the justification that russia was protecting russian citizens. we are hearing the same in ukraine. the next ten days will be more interesting. i was listening to the commentary from your colleagues earlier. there is the that will be illegitimate in crimea. the tough part is we have to understand why he did what he did in georgia and here. he comes down to he is trying to reestablish russian national pride. by sort of taking these areas, it shows that he and russia itself can be a player.

>> that's the thing. it's pride. you can talk strategy, but i keep going back to wondering if this has been so devastating, the collapse of the soviet union and about pride and ego. is that really at the crux of this? they note in the recent book the conversations he had with president putin highlighted the fact that putin believes that we in the west department quite appreciate and understand how humiliate and devastated the russian people were after the collapse of the soviet union. the pillaging that the west did in the 90s of russia. he said to the secretary which again the secretary has written about is he believes russia has

power to exert and he's never said whether it's positive or negative. it's really to show the russian people that things and russia can be a player. >> it's uber simplifying hurt feelings and pride and maybe a little ego. how does one speak vladimir putin's language? i don't know if this wave of sanctions that the administration and state department of proposal will do it. what will? >> if you want to speak putin language, you trade. things that matter to putin. stopping any further nato enlargement and the missile defense program in europe. those are two things right at the top that matter most. that's putin speak and what he wants. he wants to show he can deliver for his country and two, by trading things. he doesn't have a lot that he can trade with us. it's getting him to stop being a bad actor.

there is no guarantee. some of us in washington have been debating for the past few months when the ukraine crisis started in november. when it started in november, what is the post sochi, the post olympic putin going to be like. he needs to do something to show that he is a player. there is enough problems back home in russia. economically. infrastructure and health care. if he doesn't have a distraction, it's pointed on him. he has to make hay somewhere else. >> you were there at the dod and we wanted to have you on again. thank you so much. appreciate your perspective. the people will have their say on whether to align with russia and next we will go live to the capital to hear all the controversy surrounding this upcoming vote. so i get invited to quite a few family gatherings. heck, i saved judith here a fortune

with discounts like safe driver, multi-car, paperless. you make a mighty fine missus, m'lady. i'm not saying mark's thrifty. let's just say, i saved him $519, and it certainly didn't go toward that ring. am i right? [ laughs ] [ dance music playing ] so visit progressive.com today. i call this one "the robox." ♪ legs, for crossing. ♪ feet...splashing. better things than the joint pain and swelling of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. if you're trying to manage your ra, now may be the time to ask about xeljanz. xeljanz (tofacitinib) is a small pill, not an injection or infusion, for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. xeljanz is an ra medicine that can enter cells and disrupt jak pathways,

that comes with ra. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers have happened in patients taking xeljanz. don't start xeljanz if you have any kind of infection, unless ok with your doctor. tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz, and routinely check certain liver tests. tell your doctor if you have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common, and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, and if you are pregnant, or plan to be. taken twice daily, xeljanz can reduce the joint pain and swelling of moderate to severe ra, even without methotrexate. ask if xeljanz is right for you.

we do? i took the trash out. i know. and thank you so much for that. i think we should get a medicare supplement insurance plan. right now? [ male announcer ] whether you're new to medicare or not, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. it's up to you to pay the difference. so think about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, they help cover some of what medicare doesn't pay and could really save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. call now. with a medicare supplement plan, you'll be able to stay with your doctor. oh, you know, i love that guy. mm-hmm. [ male announcer ] these types of plans let you visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. and there are no networks. you do your push-ups today? prepare to be amazed.

[ male announcer ] don't wait. call today to request your free decision guide and find the aarp medicare supplement plan to go the distance with you. go long. . the movement in crimea to be a part of the prime minister voted to leave ukraine. they scheduled where crimean people will decide what they want to happen. anna is live outside the crimean parliament and we know parliament voted to side with russia. then ten days from now, they say it's up to the people. >> a referendum has been called for the 16th of march days from now. the question being put to the people is whether they want to stay with ukraine or become part

of the russian federation. some of the people that we spoke to were born here when it was still part of the former soviet union. these people feel that it's only right that crimea returns to the motherland if you like. 60% of the people are russian speakers. they are ethnic russians and have that strong cultural historical ties to russia or as far as the new government here in crimea is concerned, they want to be closely aligned to russia. they want to be part of russia. they are done with ukraine and don't want to be part of the european union whatsoever. that is the landscape at the moment. just to show you how closely aligned this new government wants to be to russia, today they said that the only troops that should be in crimea are russian troops. they are considered an occupying

force and ukrainian troops here have been given an ultimatum that they either swear their allegiance to russia or they loaf. they guarantee that they will be given safe passage out of crimea. >> before we go to break, we want to clear up in the last hour, mike rogers was asked to respond to a statement from the intelligence community defending their handling of the crisis in ukraine and unfortunately a statement from the cia about a different matter was used in error. cnn regrets that error. coming up next, the future of ukraine my lie in the vote. we continue to discuss the proposed referendum. we will talk to a woman who was there weeks ago. she is an expert and we will ask her how she thinks the crisis should play out and how the people truly are split. stay here. this is mike. his long race day starts with back pain...

...and a choice. take 4 advil in a day which is 2 aleve... ...for all day relief. "start your engines" so i got the new nokia lumia icon. it's got 1080p video, three times zoom, and a twenty-megapixel sensor. it's got the brightest display, so i can see what i'm shooting -- even outdoors, and 4 mics that capture incredible sound. plus, it has apps like vine -- and free cloud storage. my new lumia icon is so great, even our wipeouts look amazing. ♪ honestly, i want to see you be brave ♪ ♪

♪ honestly, i want to see you be brave ♪ predibut, manufacturings a prettin the united states do. means advanced technology. we learned that technology allows us to be craft oriented. no one's losing their job. there's no beer robot that has suddenly chased them out. the technology is actually creating new jobs. siemens designed and built the right tools and resources to get the job done.

so our business can be on at&t's network for $175 a month? yup. all 5 of you for $175. our clients need a lot of attention. there's unlimited talk and text. we're working deals all day. you get 10 gigabytes of data to share. what about expansion potential? add a line, anytime, for $15 a month. low dues, great terms. let's close! new at&t mobile share value plans our best value plans ever for business. you can't always see them. but it's our job to find them. the answers. the solutions. the innovations. all waiting to help us build something better. something more amazing. a safer, cleaner, brighter future.

at boeing, that's what building something better is all about. ♪ mayo? corn dogs? you are so outta here! aah! [ female announcer ] the complete balanced nutrition of great-tasting ensure. 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and 9 grams of protein. [ bottle ] ensure®. nutrition in charge™. . just past the bottom of the hour with the continuing cover skpaj crisis in ukraine. president obama stepped forward at the white house and the briefing room issued a harsh new warning that any new referendum in crimea to decide whether to rejoin russia would violate international law. the president also urged congress to hurry up and support

american aid to ukraine. across the atlantic, you have john kerry in rome speaking out moments after the president did on the impasse with his russian counterpart. kerry said hoe and russia's foreign minster agreed to keep talking and to try to find a solution to end this tense military standoff between your pro russian forces and ukrainian troops in the peninsula of crimea. all of this talk is aimed at an audience of one. here he is in the black. vladimir putin, the only man who can immediately diffuse the tinder box in crimea. the big question, is putin listening? does he want to listen? let's focus on the people at the center of this crisis, the ukrainians. take a look at the map with me. it breaks down the vote in ukraine's election between the prorussian candidate in the pro

west candidate. you see the east-west split here and those in the east, all the bright red you see, that side a lining with russia and the west, the shades of blue here and lining up with the west. my next guest said they go way beyond the geography. julia, nice to have you on. >> fascinating piece on the new republic. you spent recent day this is this city in eastern ukraine. you visit this university and you are talking to those who are pro russian integration versus the younger students who are not. let me quote you. this is the line that jumped out at me. you said this is the crux of it all. what we are seeing is the reverberation of what happened more than 20 years ago. this is still the long post soviet transition and this is what it's like to wander in the

desert waiting for the old generation to die off. you, julia, say the split is not territorial or language, but generational. >> that's right. you can find people that speak russian and all across the ukraine that speak ukrainian and you can show a similar map of the united states. one side of the country votes for mitt romney and another side votes for barack obama. does that mean the country should split or one side of the country is aligned with another power? when they voted for janecovich, they were not voting for europe. as for the split, people who are in the eastern and southeastern part of the country, the ones who identify as russian, what they mean is they are soviet. when ukraine wasn't a country.

>> just since 1991. 23 years. >> that's right. the students that i spoke to, they were born after 1991. they were already born into an independent country. even though they are ethnically russian and speak russian as a first language, they go to school in russian, but they see themselves as ukrainian because they were born there. people of their parents's and grandparents's generation, they see themselves as russian. the soviet union was to a large extent a russian entity. it was the people's commesary. he wanted all control to be with moscow and not with the individual republics like belarus. this was mostly a russian entity. when they say russian, they mean soviet. until these people either die off or change and have to wait

for the new generation to come of age. >> who knows how long that can take in the crisis. >> that's happening. >> right now. >> the reason it's happening is because russia is dealing with the same post soviet legacy. this is all -- >> no stalgic. >> they are trying to figure out what it means that one country is split apart into lots of different countries. who gets what land. this is a natural process that will take a long time when historians look back. they will see it as yet another flash point of the soviet transition. >> is this a nation that is the final question. it has always been dependent on russia and the u.s. how long will it take to be fully independent? do we know? >> i don't think that that's the criteria for independence. i don't think the u.s., for example, is fully independent of anybody. it depends on china, for example.

monitarily when things happen in the mideast. why are we pulled into it. nobody is fully independent of anybody in the way the world is now. saying that it's dependent on russia doesn't mean anything. it's a very close training partner and they share a similar ethnic group, but doesn't need to be one country or can't be independent of the other. >> it's interesting the views that people have. i appreciate you coming on. we are going to say with the crisis in ukraine and take you in country next. michael holmes is there and has been talking to people in kiev. they are watching the developments very, very closely. what do they think of the crisis? we will talk about that next. [ male announcer ] right now princess cruises is offering

a seven day cruise to alaska or the caribbean from just $549.

that's seven days to either marvel at mayan ruins... savor the very best local flavors... or sail in glistening glacier bay. with a cruise line voted best in alaska. a seven day cruise to alaska or the caribbean from just $549. call your travel agent or 1.888.book.now for this limited time offer. princess cruises, come back new.

. >> from violent and barricades to a somber memorial, the capital city of kiev has been the centerpiece for a revolution for the new government. protesters are camping out in independence square and michael holmes is there live in the square and michael holmes has been talking to all kinds of people and they are watching the developments closely. what are they telling you? >> they are. this is a somber mood. they are still here. you talk to them about what's going on in crimea and you get a sense of a patriotism. for all of it. crimea included. the people have a sense of unity.

there were people going up and joining the army and had experience. they wanted to defend their country. they told me they don't understand why putin is doing what he is dmoog crimea. they asked a stark question to stay with ukraine and go to russia has them worried. they want the country to stay together and be one.

spokesperson: the volkswagen passat tdi clean diesel can go 795 highway miles on a single tank. huh... so you could drive from los angeles all the way philadelphia with just three stops for fuel. that's just a hop, skip, and a jump. try that in another midsize sedan. it's more of a hop... a skip... a jump... a leap... maybe a schlep... probably a hurdle... a little bit of a trek... avo: during the tdi clean diesel event, get a $1,000 fuel reward card and 0.9% apr for 60 months.

see, i knew testosterone could affect sex drive, but not energy or even my mood. that's when i talked with my doctor. he gave me some blood tests... showed it was low t. that's it. it was a number. [ male announcer ] today, men with low t have androgel 1.62% testosterone gel. the #1 prescribed topical testosterone replacement therapy increases testosterone when used daily. women and children should avoid contact with application sites. discontinue androgel and call your doctor if you see unexpected signs of early puberty in a child, or signs in a woman, which may include changes in body hair or a large increase in acne, possibly due to accidental exposure. men with breast cancer or who have or might have prostate cancer, and women who are or may become pregnant or are breast-feeding, should not use androgel. serious side effects include worsening of an enlarged prostate, possible increased risk of prostate cancer, lower sperm count, swelling of ankles, feet, or body, enlarged or painful breasts, problems breathing during sleep, and blood clots in the legs. tell your doctor about your medical conditions and medications, especially insulin,

corticosteroids, or medicines to decrease blood clotting. in a clinical study, over 80% of treated men had their t levels restored to normal. talk to your doctor about all your symptoms. get the blood tests. change your number. turn it up. androgel 1.62%.

>> as russian president putin continues to defy europe, defy

the united states, there is one country he may not be able to afford to anger much more. germany might emerge as the crucial figure in the crisis as she may be one of if not the only european leader that truly matters to him. she has spoken with putin multiple times since the crisis began last night and spoken multiple times to president obama and she could be, could be the crisis solution here. brian todd explains how. >> it's no secret president obama's strained relationship with vladimir putin is not helping in this crisis. who can solve it? it may be the stoic daughter of a pastor, angela merkel. >> vladimir putin knows from experience for many years right now that the last enemy that he wants right now in europe is germany. >> germans has huge leverage over putin. it bias more than a 30 of its natural gas from russia. the cars to russia.

analysts say what make merkel so crucial is she has something that obama doesn't. a personal connection with the president. >> they have a lot of connectionivity because they speak german and angela herself speaks russian. >> she grew up under the system dominated by the soviets. analysts say they understand each other's political dna. a german additional told us they are not friends. after a recent phone call, she said putin is in another world. she has a savvy and toughness he respects. several years ago, putin brought a large dog to a meeting with merkel and wanting to test her knowing she has a fear of dogs. she was terrified said one analyst, but didn't flinch. kept negotiating for more than an hour. >> she didn't blink because she understands the russian mind set and knows the russians and vladimir putin wanted to play russian chess with her.

the person who blinks first has lot of. >> merkel's relationship with president obama recently became strained with reports the nsa tapped her cell phone. analysts say her credibility with the white house and the kremlin is making the difference. >> i think that everyone else is kanging up against them. >> brian todd, you are in washington for us. it's important to out that angela merkel has a stake in this herself. >> she has a huge stake. germany could be one of the biggest losers if it gets worse. germany is russia's biggest trading partner and exports cars and technology to germany. they have a huge stake in this. this is why merkel did not want to push too hard and doesn't want to kick putin out of the g8. she has a lot riding on this.

>> we will stay on the crisis. does vladimir putin have a strategy or is he to quote one of my next guests winging it? improvising. calling the shots as he goes. would that make him more dangerous? next we take a closer look at military moves and what we could learn about his final plan. those little things still get you. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment is right. cialis is also the only daily ed tablet approved to treat symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache.

to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or any allergic reactions like rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a free 30-tablet trial.

the film highlights the men and women and leaders and others who are really on the frontlines and the deadly streets of chicago. they are working around the clock. they are confronting gang violence and shootings to save schools and to save students. the chicago mayor is one of the game changers and so is the school principal who has been fighting for her students ever

since joining the high school five years ago. she has overhauled how they handle gang violence. i want to show you a clip and a lock at what she faces on her job, day to day as principal. >> the high school principal liz dozier is on a mission. >> there is a larger ongoing conflict within the community like the school. we sit like in the middle of this. >> not going to happen! not today. keep it moving. i'm not going to say it again. get out of the street. he is headed southbound. >> principal down. i broke my shoe. >> this is 112th and i broke my shoe. >> an important part of the principal's job is to keep tabs

on game conflicts and make sure students are at school. >> who was the other girl? >> i need you to slow down and get that. >> the principal and her team have transformed the culture. >> lady. it's too loud. >> let's figure out what the issue is. if you don't get to the root. it will bubble up and explode. >> here she is, liz dozier from new york. in chicago, he's the narrator for the series. welcome to both of you. liz, you are one tough cookie. watching that segment with you there, can i ask, it seems to me what i know about the series, this job you have is not even a career. it's this life choice. so simply why did you want to take it.

>> first and foremost, i felt that our students are absolutely amazing and just giving them options and students leads to amazing results for their life. that's huge for me. >> you take this and take her story and you make this series. how did you come up with this in the first place. why do this? why chicago? >> chicago is a city that has all kinds of problems that other american cities have. we looked at characters and chicago. real people on the frontlines and people like liz whose dynamic fired them and the cook county trauma unit. the teacher's unit and field rep and a lot of people besides the people in power. they are working to combat the issues that chicago faces. they are issues that america

faces. i think it's a way tole t the stories through characters that really will captivate an audience and put a highlight on what chicagoans are going through and what is the essence of what the struggle for really the soul of chicago is today. it happened over the summer when rahm emmanuel closed most schools in american history. everyone was talking about violence in chicago. that's the crisis that threatens the finances of our city. >> 16 days into your tenure, that honors student was beaten to death and made national news. i can't imagine the tone that is set on your career there in the last several years when people sit down to watch this series. what do you want them to take away? >> i want them to take away the fact that there is a civic responsibility that we all have in terms of really making sure that our children are well.

by well i mean they have again opportunities for their lives and we are all responsible for that. they have been with us and supported kids in other ways or whether you are in home ha or iowa. kids matter in the future of our country. daals are all responsible for that. >> thank you for your work. thank you very, very much. it is a gripping new series called chicago land and premiers at 10:00 eastern and 9:00 central. >> we kickoff the top of the next hour and the crisis there. the full court press against russia has begun and the first

nation for sending military troops into crimea. ukraine and limiting the travel who played a part in the crisis there. and the european union, the eu respon response. president obama took a moment in front of reporters and the briefing room talking about the unified international response. it still leaves russia an option to protect ethnic russians. they are facing oppression under the new government. take a listen. >> the crisis that respects the interest of the russian federation as well as the ukrainian people. including crimea to ensure the rights of all ukrainians are

being respected. provided that it abides by agreements and respects ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. >> minutes after the president spoke across the atlantic ocean, we listened to john kerry in rome repeating this message that sanctions are necessary to show vladimir putin that he cannot defy international law. secretary kerry met with russia's morn minster to begin direct talks with ukraine. so the u.s. and russia, we are talking face-to-face, the highest level talks we have seen since they hit ukrainian soil earlier today over the sidelines on the conference in rome. traveling with secretary kerry from and the chief national

security correspondent and the correspondent for the daily beast. let me begin with you. after he made a couple of mentes and one of which was with him, if secretary kerry said this is the response to you. >> with respect to the relationship with the prime minister, all of my relationships are with any. the meeting is over a year. you may be able to --

>> the president will get what he wants. i think the concern was all along, not that he was going to

officially annex crimea, but as this ukrainian government was moving towards europe, crimea would be lot of from russia. that's not going to be the case even though you will never have the u.s. say to are ushia, you can have the crimea. this is going to be a de facto territory. >> the conversation for president obama, right off the bat saying this is absolutely the referendum in days not only against the constitution, but against international law. i'm curious because you know this region so well. in terms of trying to get inside and i know it's impossible, but trying to speak the language of vladimir putin, what would one- >> this is the issue. i haven't heard them they have sights set on kiev.

if you look at precedent, this is a tactic he used before. boots on the ground and he was able to separate two regions of georgia that are under russian control. he has done it in another country, little countries that we don't talk about often, but they are important for your control that makes it difficult for the countries to maintain territorial integrity and do things like join the eu and nato, etc. they don't want to speak the language of vladimir putin and say he is speaking a different language and not based on the facts. this is interesting here giving a diplomatic answer. he said we have a professional consider. does he trust putin because he made promises and didn't follow-through. he said trust say factor.

clearly they are feeling burned and the facts this is at a minimum challenged. another diplomatic word. >> a little bit playing it safe as you should. we talk about georgia and dan and working under the secretary gates. i think it's so important to talk about what happened. i'm so glad you were questioning. when we talk about georgia, not really at the time paying a hefty price for that invasion. i want to ask you how much you think that influenced his decision and ego in the current moves in ukraine. >> if you look at the invasion, it happens at the end of the

bush's second term. i think this is perceived not only by moscow, but publicly as saying let's let bygones be bygones. two sides to the story. we are a new team. the effect was that putin never spent and russia never spent time in the penalty box for influencing that way. that must be a factor in moscow's strategic gaming out. what can they do to stop us. what we heard from the white house are very targeted sanctions at this point. they haven't announced who they are. we assume russian officials and ukrainian pro russian officials involved in this. that's significant and an irritant. i don't think you heard anything yet and seen unity in terms of

action with europe that would be enough to stop them in their tracks. >> thank you all very much for joining me in that discussion. i want to get reaction to president obama's message. he said this proposed referendum in ten days to possibly join russia would violate the constitution and international law. let's get reaction to that from the analyst. john avalon, welcome. >> hey, brook. >> can the president's words and again we haven't seen that, but can the words kick start this impasse between them? >> it's a step in the right direction if only because the u.s. is leading on the issue of sanctions. in part because they are entwined by russia.

the fact that the president and yesterday he was off giving campaign-style speeches and today he went back in front of the reporters and focused on the number one issue in the world today. the u.s. is leading in the sanctions. it's a 1345u8 step, but a step in the right direction. >> he said too before he left the podium, he asked them to hurry up and support american aid to the ukraine. what kind of resistance have we seen on that so far. >> if this gets politicized, we are in bigger trouble. this is a battle between self government ask sabotage. it shouldn't extend. the old idea that part anship ought to end at the water's edge should apply. moral clarity. what putin is trying to pull is a soviet era technique to try to use the appearance of referendum to allow a necation of territory. this is an old tactic. it's a dictator's tactic and

can't be allowed to exist in the 21st century full stop. >> they continue being this potential referendum. the response will remain firm. he hasn't named names. the white house needs to be more forceful. >> it will be in the coming days. they are in the point of diplomacy. everything is praised and the hard work of diplomacy is going on. that's preferable to the alternative. you want to give breathing room and that so-called off-ramp. the situation seems to have paused as putin realizes the community is not going to roll over for expansion. i think you will see more specifics and names being named and ratcheting up the pressure. that will force the russians's

minds and make them realize they can't try to reassert the borders. >> well beyond the days of borders being redrawn over the heads of leaders. thank you very much. coming up next, we will take you live to crimea. secretary of state john kerry said crimea is ukraine, but this referendum we continue talking about gives the citizens there they say a right to become part of russia. we are live outside the parliament on what we are really hearing on the ground. also ahead, russian president putin seems like quite a force when it comes to international politics, but could he be when it comes to the crisis in ukraine? is he winging it and improvi improvising? my next guest said perhaps. we'll discuss. a lot happening. stay with me. you are watching cnn.

introducing olive garden's pronto lunch starting at $6.99. an entirely new menu created with your busy schedule in mind. handmade italian sandwiches, flatbreads, and our signature soup and salad. starting at $6.99. and all served "pronto!" at olive garden. why are house repu"retreating," ng," and privately saying they'd rather do "nothing" on immigration reform this year? doing nothing puts jobs on ice... forces us to lose out on revenue for roads and schools. and sends a message to millions of dreamers, who study hard and want to serve our country, they might as well dream on. no, nothing won't do. call house republicans today. tell them we've waited long enough: pass immigration reform. explaining my moderate to severe so there i was again, chronic plaque psoriasis to another new stylist. it was a total embarrassment.

and not the kind of attention i wanted. so i had a serious talk with my dermatologist about my treatment options. this time, she prescribed humira-adalimumab. humira helps to clear the surface of my skin by actually working inside my body. in clinical trials, most adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis saw 75% skin clearance. and the majority of people were clear or almost clear in just 4 months. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection.

make the most of every moment. ask your dermatologist about humira, today. clearer skin is possible. with the quicksilver cash back card from capital one, it means unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything you purchase, every day. it doesn't mean, "everything... as long as you buy it at the gas station." it doesn't mean, "everything... until you hit your cash back limit." it means earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every place, every occasion, all over creation. that's what everything should mean. so consider... what's in your wallet?

. >> you are staying on top of the breaking coverage. russia saying they have not found common ground on solving the crisis. president obama speaking today and really reiterating crimea's attempts to join the russian federation. it would violate international law. ukraine said russian forces sanction an old russian warship and now it's trapping ukrainian ships in a harbor. they can't go anywhere. you have the pro russian groups. let's take you there now. anna, here's what i want to know about your backdrop of russian

troops there. i'm curious what they are telling you and how they feel going into the vote, the proposed referendum ten days from now. >> certainly, brooke. people here are very much pro russian. they have welcomed the referendum, calling it people power. 16th of march, the people of crimea will vote on whether they stay with ukraine or break away and become part of the russian federation. we spoke to people who were born here when it was part of the soviet union. they are close ties between crimea and russia. the ties of very strong and they do see it as if they would be returning to the motherland. they were with a military base and russian troops on the ground. no doubt about it.

that is not the case. we can confirm that it is true. they are not necessarily wearing the insignia, but flying the russian flag and the commander who we spoke to that has been occupy and taken over said that the people's forces are russian. >> outside the parliament on the peninsula and coming up, is russian president putin for lack of a better phrase winging it? why putin's move could all be improv. that's next. before larry instantly transferred money from his bank of america savings account to his merrill edge retirement account. before he opened his first hot chocolate stand calling winter an "underserved season". and before he quit his friend's leaf-raking business for "not offering a 401k." larry knew the importance of preparing for retirement. that's why when the time came he counted on merrill edge to streamline his investing and help him plan for the road ahead. that's the power of streamlined connections.

that's merrill edge and bank of america. you can't always see them. but it's our job to find them. the answers. the solutions. the innovations. all waiting to help us build something better. something more amazing. a safer, cleaner, brighter future. at boeing, that's what building something better is all about. ♪ has begun. it's time to chart an entirely new course. with the lexus ct hybrid, featuring an epa-estimated 42 mpg combined.

the further you go, the more interesting it gets. take command of the moment, then take command of the road. during the lexus command performance sales event. get great offers on your favorite lexus models, now through march 31st. this is the pursuit of perfection.

. >> politicians and the pundits could be asking the same. what is the end game. what is this man trying to do with the crisis in ukraine. they offer this as a possibility. high calls his piece the putin improv act. this article is from atlantic.com. what if like the soviets in 1979 he is talking specifically about afghanistan, putin is winging it. the associate professor of political science and the college, welcome and great to have you on. >> it's new pleasure to be here. >> do you think vladimir putin could be winging this? >> no one can tell for sure. perhaps he can, but a lot of commentators have lept to the

conclusion that putin is a strategic master and a chess player thinking ten moves ahead and this is part of the plan to reach more domination. i think that the move, the intervention doesn't make a lot of sense. it may well be a case of improvisation rather than thinking that really this russian move was thrown together in the last couple weeks in a makeshift way. >> the last couple of weeks post sochi. facing a new and unexpected environment, he got together a plan on the fly. if an aggressive move had long been in the works, why would they bother spending 50 billion to spent at the winter olympics and any public relations games just went up in smoke. the follow-up would be could it be good or bad? he doesn't really have that final step out there or he could

get trapped. >> that's absolutely correct. on the one hand you think well, better he is improvising than he has this clear program of aggression. i think it's very dangerous if this is the kind of makeshift plan that i'm outlining because it's very uncertain. a chance of misperception and he's not thinking ahead. he could easily get trapped in a situation ha he is not expecting. the soviet invasion of afghanistan and moscow went into afghanistan in the operation. they thought they would be out in a few months. it turned into a decade-long counter insurgency known as the soviet vietnam. it was their quagmyre. >> i want to play a sound from hilary clinton. roll it. >> i know we are dealing with a

tough guy with a thin skin. i know that his political vision is of a greater russia. >> tough guy, thin skin. do you agree? >> i think there is truth in that. i think putin does have wider ideas and a broader agenda and he is concerned about whether ukraine is in the pro russian or pro western camp. the question is, was this move part of a long planned operation, part of a grand strategic endeavor? nor likely it was thrown together in the last few weeks and putin does not have a ten-step chess strategy and that in some ways is dangerous. >> then you end your peace talking about the path of retreat for putin. >> so let's say putin is

interested in trying to find a compromise resolution. >> if. >> the problem is if and it is a big if. the russian president put the russian flag down and it's difficult for great powers like russia to retreat so we need to find a face saving path by which russia can extraicate itself. there could be international monitors to look after the interest of the russian speakers and something that putin can point to to justify his retreat. he is not going to sacrifice his own image and could get trapped in a bigger operation than perhaps he envisioned. >> international monitors and even the president said from the white house. coming up, anderson cooper is in kiev in the capital in independence square. we will show you what he is seeing on the ground.

how do ukrainians feel about the possibility of crimea joining the russian federation. also ahead, president obama making his feelings known about vladimir putin and his move entering the russian president's occupation about crimea. with diplomacy and sanctions. we will talk about that accident next. makes sense of investing.

♪

[ female announcer ] olay presents the new regenerist luminous collection. renews surface cells to even skin tone. in just two weeks, see pearlescent, luminous skin. new regenerist luminous. from olay.

>> bottom of the hour, you are watching cnn. here's what we know. just a short time ago, pop issued a harsh new warning that any new referendum in crimea to decide whether to rejoin russia would violate international law. the president urged congress there in washington to hurry up and support american aid to ukraine. over the atlantic ocean after the president spoke, we saw this man, john kerry talking about the diplomatic impasse with his russian counterpart. kerry said he and russia's foreign minster agreed to keep talking and to try to find a solution to end the standoff between the pro russian forces in the tiny peninsula. all of this talk today is aimed at an audience of one. the man in the black here, this is russia's president, the only

man who can landlord diffuse the tinter box that is crimea. the big question, is vladimir putin listening? let's talk money. freezing russian assets and blocking financial assets. the executive order lays the ground work for sanctions against russian individuals or companies. they use what is complicit in the u.s. and european union are considering much further reaching sanctions if putin does not roll back pro russian forces in crimea. who would the sanctions hurt the most? you have to understand that russia and ukraine are economically intertwined and all of the red lines look like the gas lines. the gas pipelies that crisscross ukraine. right now pressure is rising for the u.s. to start exporting natural gas nld in case russia decides to limit the natural gas supply as a possible punishment

on ukraine or further into europe. here is richard quest, host of quest means business. richard quest, when we talk about the sanctions against russia and potential second round sanctions, how damaging could they be on russia's econo economy? >> they could be damaging if they are full throttle. we are so far away from that and need to keep that on the back burner. what you are talking about at the moment is the soft pressure. i wouldn't describe them as sanctions. they are measures. they are actions. a trade that make it more difficult for russians to visit the eu or the united states. bans on travel for a certain key member of the russian administration. you have got all the pulls out of trade talks they have at the moment with russia.

>> how effective is this really and how how long will it take to have the sanctions and not just measures. >> it will have an effect because it's known as the soft power and what happens is the olegarks and the powerful business men and those who made their billions under putin before, they are thes that start to put the pressure. if the eu and the u.s. were to go full throttle and trade sanctions and banning products and the whole measures, you get tit for tat and the gas switched off. you get all of those much more dramatic effects that would damage the economy in russia badly. they would also damage the european u-conn me at the moment. >> just thinking back, wasn't the gas switched off in georgia

in 2008? >> yes or the gas is being used at least three times in the last years. through ukraine as well it is being switched off as well in the past. one interesting thing, this story that is going around now about the u.s. providing lick wi fid natural gas. let's ignore the tact that it's expensive to put on a boat and send it across atlantic to make up a shortfall. the u.s. doesn't have the correct or necessary facilities to do it on a large scale. everybody i have spoken to on this story is perplexed. they have approved and they are building, but there is no big -- if you are like export terminal that would satisfy the need to send liquefied natural gas to europe. >> i was wondering how that would even work. you just answered my question for me. thank you so much. coming up next, president obama

answering russian president putin's occupation of crimea with diplomacy and the soft pressure to quote richard quest. the measures. how is he measuring the crisis so far. he will take a look at that and the administration next. you're almost twice as likely to lose your supporting teeth? try poligrip for partials. poligrip helps minimize stress which may damage supporting teeth by stabilizing your partial. care for your partial. help protect your natural teeth.

. is the leader of russia, vladimir putin seeking to recla reclaim's remnant of the soviet empire's glory days. will he be successful. president obama said no. calling the actions a violation of international law and stopping short of the word invasion, calling an intervention and sticking closely to the threats and imposed sanctions against russia. >> this morning i signed an executive order that authorizes

sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for violating the sovereignty and territorial violation of the ukraine or stealing the assets of the people. according to my guidance, the state department put in place the restrictions on the travel and officials. these decisions continue to impose a cost on russia. those responsible for the situation in crimea. they also give us the flexibility to adjust our response going forward based on russia's actions. >> joining me now, host of cnn's jps and it's interesting the different words the people are using to describe the sanctions. i heard measures and soft pressure. talk to me about this delicate diplomatic distance from the administration. >> there is a good reason for it. at the end of the day, russia lives next door to ukraine. there russian troops in crimea.

one of the reason yes it's complicate and whether or not to call this an invasion or not, there were russian troops in crimea to begin with. that is the home of the navy. any solution that will work is going to involve the russians in some way or the other. you can see it on the map. ukraine is not going to be able to live freely and independently if russia is not in some way supporting it or part of the solution or living with it. so what the president is trying to do is place a cost on russia. deter it from any further military action in the ukraine, but also make clear that look, as he keeps saying we can adjust what he is trying to say. if you come forward and there is a solution here. we will also deescalate. >> minutes after we heard from the president, we heard from john kerry across the ocean in rome. let's take a listen.

>> the united states also has choices to make. president obama has been clear that we cannot allow russia or any country to defy international law with impuimpu. there is noplace for the kind of oppression and steps that we have taken in ukraine for the last days. >> diplomatic somersaults. he has to be careful calling it russian aggression. i wanted to ask you, your thoughts on his relationship with his counterpart in russia. he was asked by our own elise who was led by him. he said listen, i talked to him in the past and sometimes we laugh and disagree, but this is one of the times. >> he dates back as does

mr. putin from the soviet days, but he was an important diplomat. he knows how to carry the brief for his countr and what's going to make the question you just asked more complicated, events on the ground. it is very likely that there is going to be a referendum in crimea. it is quite possible that the crimian people will vote to become part of russia. if that happens and the government if kiev said this is not okay, you now have competing claims. the united states in some cases has supported the claims. when they wanted to be independent and create an independent kosovo out of the former yugoslavia, they said it was okay. the crimians said we want to determine our own future. those events on the ground are going to be much more important than the personal relationship

between kerry and him. that's fine. they are pros and they will be able to handle it. >> you mentioned the soviet days and i wanted to ask you about this. it was the end of the cold war and russia still has much of his evil empire sheen if you will. i know you wrote an article saying that putin's 19th century tactics do not bode well for russia. what did you mean by that. >> if you think about it, the leaders are divided into two groups. those who think about the past are not trapped and those who think about the future. what russia need says modern economy and rising standards. it needs decent stability and wants commerce and needs to develop in the industry. having and getting crimea, this is like the 19th century where you thought of the world with the chess board and i got ahold of more squares, it makes a difference. >> i get to win. they got crimea and scared off.

most importantly the people of ukraine are deeply suspicious of russia and the people in poland and the check republic are in places like kazakhstan are fearful because they are washing them. so the europeans are going to trade less and the americans will trade less. putin got this half piece on the chess board and it's a huge cost for russia in terms of the efforts to become a modern economy. as always, love to have you on. anderson cooper is in kiev and take you there live and show you what he is seeing on the ground and what those are telling him about what's happening in crimea. that's next. now you can create your own perfect plate of pasta at olive garden, with our new cucina mia menu, for just $9.99. choose the homemade sauce that tempts you the most.

like our addictively creamy garlic asiago, devilishly spicy diavolo or garden-fresh primavera with roasted vegetables. all made from scratch and made to order. served with your choice of our new artisinal pastas including gluten free. new cucina mia is all about flavor, all about you, and all just $9.99. at olive garden, we're all family here. peoi go to angie's listt for all kinds of reasons. to gauge whether or not the projects will be done in a timely fashion and within budget. angie's list members can tell you which provider is the best in town. you'll find reviews on everything from home repair to healthcare. now that we're expecting, i like the fact i can go onto angie's list and look for pediatricians. the service providers that i've found on angie's list actually have blown me away. find out why more than two million members count on angie's list. angie's list -- reviews you can trust. if your denture moves, it can irritate your gums. try fixodent plus gum care.

it helps stop denture movement and prevents gum irritation. fixodent. and forget it. we know we're not the center of your life, but we'll do our best to help you connect to what is. see, i knew testosterone could affect sex drive, but not energy or even my mood. that's when i talked with my doctor. he gave me some blood tests... showed it was low t. that's it. it was a number. [ male announcer ] today, men with low t have androgel 1.62% testosterone gel. the #1 prescribed topical testosterone replacement therapy increases testosterone when used daily. women and children should avoid contact with application sites.

discontinue androgel and call your doctor if you see unexpected signs of early puberty in a child, or signs in a woman, which may include changes in body hair or a large increase in acne, possibly due to accidental exposure. men with breast cancer or who have or might have prostate cancer, and women who are or may become pregnant or are breast-feeding, should not use androgel. serious side effects include worsening of an enlarged prostate, possible increased risk of prostate cancer, lower sperm count, swelling of ankles, feet, or body, enlarged or painful breasts, problems breathing during sleep, and blood clots in the legs. tell your doctor about your medical conditions and medications, especially insulin, corticosteroids, or medicines to decrease blood clotting. in a clinical study, over 80% of treated men had their t levels restored to normal. talk to your doctor about all your symptoms. get the blood tests. change your number. turn it up. androgel 1.62%.

. >> in ukraine, there threats of international sanctions because russia moved troops into crimea. what if but what if the people of crimea want to join the russian federation? today the parliament there voted in favor of that and in a matter of ten days, the public will have a chance to to so, as well. but international leaders say this referendum violates ukraine's constitution. the president specifically saying it violates international law. anderson could that ser live in

kiev, the capital of ukraine. anderson, what kinds of conversations -- he's on the phone. what kinds of conversations have you had with people there? obviously watching closely what is happening in crimea. >> there is widespread dismay certainly among ordinary people here in kiev. protesters are still camped out. and ukrainian leaders, as well. they cannot imagine a ukraine in which crimea is not a part of ukranian territory. exactly what capacity may be open to some sort of negotiation, but the idea of crimea joining the russian federation, that is something that is just met with widespread scorn, dismay, anger, confusion, as well. i was down in the independence square throughout the day talking to people who said it's unimaginable and not what the people in the square fought for and died for a little bit more

than a week and a half ago. in the word i've heard to describe the tone will after all those protests was somber. over what has been happening. anderson cooper on the phone. thank you. watch anderson 360 live there kiev tonight. back in the united states today, specifically in washington, want to talk about the heated clash between congressman elijah cummings and committee chairman congressman darrell issa during this irs hearing. because members of the congress al black caucus are commanding john boehner strip issa of his leadership role after this happened yesterday. >> mr. chairman, you cannot run a committee like this. you just cannot do this. i want to ask a question. what are we hiding? what is the big deal? may i ask my question, may i state my statement? >> you're all free to leave. we've adjourned. but the gentleman may ask his

question. >> for the past year, the central republican accusation in this investigation -- >> we're adjourned. close it down. >> joe johns has been following the developments since that heated exchange. and, joe, just curious, has there been any kind of response from house speaker john boehner over the calls to remove darrell issa? >> i think you could say disagreement at the highest level on this. minority leader pelosi had a news conference calling the behavior totally disrespectful toward cummings. house speaker boehner was asked about it and he said in his view chairman issa acted appropriately and he supports issa. in fact the house voted on a resolution brought by democrats to have issa removed, that was tabled on a straight party line vote earlier today. republicans control the house. issa is a republican. boehner knows the power of tea party politics in this country. tea partiers very concerned that some of them may have been targeted by the irs. and that is the nucleus of the

controversy. >> joe johns, thank you very much. coming up next, mayors from some of the largest cities here in the country meeting today in chicago to talk about how they're facing the challenges within their own cities and towns. one of the biggest issues still facing chicago, violent crime. the steps mayor rahm emanuel is taking to solve the problem next. no two people have the same financial goals. pnc investments works with you to understand yours and helps plan for your retirement. talk to a pnc investments financial advisor today. ♪ life's an adventure and it always has been. but your erectile dysfunction - it could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready.

and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial.

it took a lot of juggling to keep it all together.k. for some low-income families, having broadband internet is a faraway dream. so we created internet essentials, america's largest low-cost internet adoption program.

having the internet at home means she has to go no further than the kitchen table to do her homework. now, more than one million americans have been connected at home. it makes it so much better to do homework, when you're at home. welcome to what's next. comcastnbcuniversal. before i let you go, i wanted to remind you that cnn is airing a new original series called chicagoland, it's an in-depth intimate examination of chicago's critical challenges. executive produced by robert redford. >> this principal is on a mission, to give her kids a shot at a better future. >> chicagoland also looks into some of the major issues confronting major urban centers.

later tonight university of chicago hosting several big city mayors. don lemon once a chicagoan himself joins me there with more on the discussion. and so tell me more about this. what are the big factors here in these cities? >> reporter: they're going to meet a little later on this evening, but having viewed chicagoland, having lived here, of course the four mayors you lived, i've lived in three of those city, atlanta, new york and here. the big issues, they're o outgurned outgurn gunned on the streets. number two, money. and number three, again the school systems. chicago school system had a $1 billion shortfall. they had to vote to close 50 schools. that is a big issue here. and they have come to chicagoland on the same day that it premieres on cnn to try to figure out some solutions and what those big cities, other big cities, can learn from chicago. one person we spoke to lived in this very neighborhood, this is hyde park neighborhood, on the

university of chicago campus, not far from where the obamas used to live, but also do you remember the high school student gunned down? >> of course. >> in this very neighborhood, right in this very neighborhood. i spoke to her father. he's planning on attending this forum tonight. and here's what he said the issue was for him. >> what do you want people to learn from chicagoland or get out of chicagoland? >> michelle made a comment on there. she said that there is a lot of innercity kids that live maybe a block away from some of the greatest educational institutions in the world. >> the first lady you're talking about. >> yes. and i want people to know that chicago is a great city. but it's only as great as we can make it. we have to stand up. we have to be responsible for our kids. >> reporter: he is talking about the first lady speaking at high

d hadiya pendelton's funeral. you can be within one block of a great university and it may feel like a world away because you don't feel you have access to this great institution. and also you don't feel comfortable even leaving your home sometimes to go to school. they will talk about those issue, we'll interview some of the mayors and have it for you later. >> i'm glad to see the mayors all coming together to hopefully find solutions. don lemon, thank you so much. as you look at this screen, the premiere of the new series, following the struggles facing chicago. that's tonight at 10:00 eastern, 9:00 central here on cnn. just always a quick reminder, you can check the blog if you missed any interviews that you would love to see again, pass them along to your friends. go to cnn.com/brooke. thank you so much for joining me here.

of course the continuing coverage of the crisis in ukraine continues right now as i send things off to my colleague in washington, "the lead" with jake tapper starts right now. crimea was just voted most likely to secede. account u.s. stand in the way? i'm jake tapper. this is the le is "the lead". the region's parliament votes to join the russian federation. so how far will ukraine and the u.s. go to keep the land? president obama calling russia's actions a violation of international law. the u.s. has made threats and imposed sanctions against russia, but we'll ask the white house do they have any teeth. and the politics lead. a harsh confrontation during a congressional investigation into irs abuses. between interrogate tore and witness? no. between the republican chairman and the commit's top democrat whose mike was killed. now the congressional black caucus